If your job search strategy keeps running into a brick wall whenever you send out your executive resume or you are repeatedly receiving phone calls for lower paying positions that are below your capabilities, it may be time to re-examine your executive resume layout.
One of the main things to remember is your executive resume is a strategic marketing tool and its main objective should be a “Sell Me” not “Tell Me” document. Creating a laundry list of job responsibilities and task-driven statements, on your executive resume only tells readers what you get paid to do. However, hiring managers and executive recruiters are interested in learning more about what you can do for them – the best way to highlight and illustrate that is through your qualifications, expertise, personal brand, length and breadth of experience, and bottom-line impact and quantifiable results.
So how do you make sure you are communicating all these factors in an executive resume? Here are seven steps to an attention-getting executive resume.
1. Have a Crystal, Clear Profile
Your executive resume is your personal marketing tool and the product you are selling is YOU. At first glance – especially in the resume profile section, the reader should know immediately know who you are, the value you bring to the table, and what differentiates you from the rest of the pack.
If you are unsure of your job target or immediate career goals, a generic, one-size-fits-all resume is not going to help you. Focused, targeted executive resumes are the only way to convince hiring managers you are the right person for the job. Which one of these executives would you trust as your next CFO?
Candidate A: By training and professional experience, highly qualified in financial and strategic management of business in many industries.
Candidate B: Performance-driven finance executive with deep expertise in spearheading initiatives that strengthen internal infrastructure, expand revenue-generating capabilities, and maximize ROI for start-up and high-growth companies.
2. Bring Your Differentiating Traits and Value to the Top of the Resume
A key career marketing strategy is to determine how do you stand out from your peers who have a similar career background and offer the same strengths to potential employers. Start off by extracting strong statements from your performance evaluations or management feedback reports to make an immediate connection with resume readers, generate real interest, and entice employers to call you in for a personal interview.
